Dark River (Rewritten)
by Tigercry
Summary: Lionpaw, Hollypaw, and Jaypaw—grandchildren of the Clan leader Firestar—are thriving as the newest ThunderClan apprentices. Yet with their new responsibilities come new experiences, new power . . . and secret dangers. (one sided Cinderblaze) (Heatherblaze)
1. Prologue

The indigo sky stretched over the moorland, holding in the night's chill.

Wind stirred the heather and set the hillside rippling. Between the low bushes, feline shapes, their fur slicked flat by the breeze, streamed down the slope.

Among them, a tabby queen kept pace with a young tom. "Are you sure you are ready for this?"

"I'm ready," the tom answered, his green eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"You're my eldest, Fallen Leaves," the queen whispered. "The first of mine to face the ordeal."

"I'll be fine."

"He was trained well!" a low voice called from behind.

"Even trainin' can't prepare a softpaw for rain!" growled another.

Fallen Leaves glanced up. "But the sky's clear."

"I smell rain on the wind, I tell you."

Murmurs of alarm spread among the other cats.

"The sky's clear!" Fallen Leaves insisted as he stepped out from the swath of heather and halted. The moon lit his ginger-and-white pelt. His Clanmates crowded at his heels, their tails flicking. Beneath his forepaws, the slope fell away steeply. Here, moons of wind and rain had flayed the moorland, peeling away the earth until the stone beneath lay bare, a wall of jagged rock amid the rolling heather.

"Good luck, softpaw!" Fallen Leaves bounded down the cliff and landed lightly on the sandy earth at its base. His mother scrambled after him. "Take care!"

Fallen Leaves brushed muzzles with the queen. "I will see you at dawn," he promised.

Ahead of him, a black gash opened like a wound in the cliff face. The fur along his spine lifted. He had never been inside. Only chosen cats entered the Cave.

He padded forward, feeling the darkness swallow him. There must be some light to show the way! He struggled to crush the fear thrashing in his chest like a landed fish.

 _The tunnel will take you to the cave,_ his tutor's voice echoed in his mind. _Let your whiskers guide you._

His whiskers shivered, alert to the slightest touch, steering him along the narrow passage.

Suddenly, pale light glowed ahead. The tunnel opened into a cave. Its arching walls glowed in the weak moonlight that filtered through a gap in the roof. The sound of rushing water echoed around the rocks.

A river? Underground?

Fallen Leaves stared at the wide stream that split the sandy floor in two. Its black water glimmered dimly in the half-light. "Fallen Leaves?" A croaking mew made the young tom jump. He jerked his white muzzle up to see who had spoken and his eyes narrowed as he saw a creature crouched on a high ledge, lit by moonlight pooled on the cave wall.

Was this Rock?

The creature's pelt was like moleskin, the fur gone except for a few tufts along his spine, and his sightless eyes bulged like eggs. His long, twisted claws flexed on the smooth branch that lay at his paws. The branch was stripped of its bark and, even in this light, Fallen Leaves could see claw marks etched along it, a crowded series of straight lines scarring the pale wood.

This _must_ be Rock.

"I can feel your surprise," the blind creature croaked. "It pricks my pelt like gorse."

"I—I'm sorry," Fallen Leaves apologized. "It's just I did not expect—"

"You did not expect a cat could grow so ugly."

Fallen Leaves froze with embarrassment. Had Rock read his mind?

"A cat needs wind and sun to shine his fur and good hunting to trim his claws," Rock went on, his mew rasping like stones on stone. "But I must stay close to our warrior ancestors; those who have taken their place beneath the earth."

"And for that we thank you," Fallen Leaves murmured respectfully.

"Don't thank me," Rock growled. "It was a destiny I was bound to follow. Besides, you may not feel so grateful to me once your initiation has begun." As he spoke he ran a long claw over the lines scratched into the smooth branch. A second scratch crossed some lines, but not all. "The uncrossed lines mark the cats who went into the tunnels but did not come out."

Fallen Leaves stared at the dark holes lurking like mouths at the edge of the cave. If they did not lead to air and safety, where did they end up? "Which tunnels did they go into?"

Rock shook his head. "I cannot help you. To become a sharpclaw, you must find your own way out. I can only send you on your way with the blessing of our ancestors."

"Can't you give me _any_ advice?"

"Without light, you will have only your instincts. Follow them and if they are true, you will be safe."

"What if they are not true?"

"Then you will die in darkness."

Fallen Leaves squared his shoulders. "I'm not going to die."

"I hope not," Rock mewed. "You know you are not allowed to return to this cave? You must find a tunnel that leads straight back to the moor. Is it raining?" he asked suddenly.

Fallen Leaves stiffened. Should he mention the tingling in the air that hinted rain might come? No. Rock might tell him to go back the way he had come and wait until another day. He couldn't put off becoming a sharpclaw any longer. He wanted to do this now. "The sky is clear," he promised.

Rock ran his paw once more over the lines etched in the branch. "Then begin."

Fallen Leaves eyed the tunnel beneath Rock's ledge. It seemed larger than the rest, and appeared to slope upward. Up to the moorland, high above? This was the way he would choose.

Heart pounding, he leaped across the river and headed into the bone-chilling darkness. _By dawn I will be a sharpclaw._ His pelt bristled. _I hope._


	2. Chapter 1

" _Look out!" Lionpaw lashed his tail._ "ShadowClan warriors behind us!"

Hollypaw whipped around, her black pelt standing on end, "I'll take them!"

Lionpaw glanced at his brother. "Scent anything, Jaypaw?"

"More warrior coming!" the gray tabby warned. His blind, blue eyes were round with alarm. "Prepare for attack!"

"We'll ambush them as they come through the camp wall!" Lionpaw ordered. He jerked his head toward Hollypaw, "Can you handle those three on your own?"

"Easy!" Hollypaw rolled onto her back then sprung to her paws, claws glinting in the afternoon sun.

Lionpaw darted forward and crouched behind the prickly wall of thorns, "Cinderpaw!" he hissed, "if you want to help, come on!"

The wall shook slightly as the silver apprentice squeezed beneath the thorns -when her mentor wasn't looking- to join the younger apprentices in their ambush.

"Quick! Jaypaw! Besides me!" Lionpaw hissed as Cinderpaw dropped into an attack crouch beside him.

Jaypaw scooted over and dropped into an attack crouch. "They're coming!"

A tabby warrior trotted through the entrance.

"Now! Lionpaw screeched. He hurled himself at the warrior's flank. Cinderpaw leaped onto the warrior's back. Jaypaw scrambled between the enemy's paws. With a grunt of surprise, the invader tripped and tumbled onto his side. Lionpaw and Cinderpaw were on him in an instant.

"Enough!" Squirrelflight's sharp mew rang around the small clearing.

Lionpaw stopped pummeling Brambleclaw's flank with his front paws and stared at his mother as she hurried through the gap in the bramble wall. "But we're pretending ShadowClan are attacking!"

Cinderpaw stopped pummeling Brambleclaw's back with her back legs, sat back on her haunches and meowed sulkily, "We almost won!"

Jaypaw skidded to a halt, "bossy warriors." He mumbled under his breath.

"What was that Jaypaw?" Squirrelflight looked at her son.

"Nothing." Jaypaw quickly meowed, not wanting to be in trouble and have to clean out the Elders den.

Lionpaw slid to the ground. "It's the only good place to practice a surprise attack," he mewed sulkily. He looked around the half-finished den; it's bramble walls jutted out from the side of the warriors' den. Once branches had been pushed over the top to form the roof, an opening would be made to join the old den with the new one.

Hollypaw padded towards them, leaving her imaginary foes behind. "We're not getting in anyone's way," she pointed out. She fluffed out her fur against the wind. Newleaf sunshine had taken the chill from the hollow, but the afternoon had brought with it a breeze from the mountains that reminded Lionpaw that leaf-bare was less than a quarter moon behind them.

"But what if all of the other apprentices decided to practice their battle moves here too?" Cinderpaw pointed out, "we'd probably end up breaking the walls and I don't think the warriors would be pleased to do it again."

"You're supposed to be on our side!" Lionpaw complained.

"I am!"

"You're defending the warriors!"

"I'm just pointing it out-"

"We need to expand the warriors' den before you and the other apprentices become warriors." Brambleclaw pointed out, breaking up the short argument between the two apprentices. "It's already too crowded."

"Okay, we get the point!" Jaypaw lifted his chin. His fur was ruffled and bits of leaves were sticking out of his pelt.

"Look at you!" Squirrelflight licked Jaypaw roughly between the ears. "You're made yourselves filthy," she scolded, "and we'll be leaving for the gathering soon."

Lionpaw began to wash the dried leaf-dust from his chest before his mother started on him.

Jaypaw ducked away from Squirrelflight's tongue. "I can wash myself, you know," he complained.

"Leave them be," Brambleclaw meowed to his mate. "I'm sure they'll smarten themselves up before we leave."

"Of course we will," Lionpaw promised, This would be the first Gathering the three littermates had attended together. "We've been looking forward to this for ages. Haven't we, Jaypaw?"

Jaypaw flicked his tail. "Yeah, right."

Lionpaw flexed his claws. Why did Jaypaw have to be grumpy all the time? This would be his first Gathering ever. He must be looking forward to it. He had missed the last two, once as a punishment and once because his medicine duties had kept him in camp. Lionpaw knew his littermate well enough to know how important it was to be able to do what the other cats did, despite his blindness—and that included going to Gatherings.

"Hurry up!" Out of here, before Firestar notices!" Squirrelflight ordered, herding her kits toward the gap in the wall. "Go find something on the fresh-kill pile. You have a long night ahead."

Lionpaw's tail pricked with excitement at the thought of the gathering. He could almost smell the pine scents from the island.

But Hollypaw's eyes glittered with worry. "I hope the other Clans don't pick on us again. Do you know if Millie's coming? Perhaps she should stay behind this time."

When Graystripe had returned to the Clan two moons ago, he had brought with him his new mate, Millie, a kittypet whom he had met while the Twolegs held him captive. He had trained her as a warrior and in return she had helped him make the long, perilous journey to the lake in search of his lost Clan. Her kittypet roots made her an easy target for the other Clan's jibes, and she wasn't the only ThunderClan cat who was taunted for not being Clanborn.

"Millie can take care of herself," Squirrelflight pointed out.

"Besides, the contest seemed to have smoothed things over a bit," Brambleclaw added.

"But for how long?" Hollypaw mewed. Lionpaw knew his sister had never been entirely convinced that the daylight Gathering would heal the rifts between the Clans. The four Clans had competed in friendly contests to test their skills, pitting their apprentices against one another in an effort to put aside growing distrust and border tensions. Lionpaw remembered the day for a different reason, though: the WindClan apprentice Breezepaw had fallen into an old badger set and nearly suffocated in choking sand before Jaypaw had found them.

"You're always fretting about something," Jaypaw snorted at Hollypaw. "It's like living with an anxious owl."

"Newleaf is here now," Squirrelflight pointed out. "There's more prey running around, so the Clans should be less prickly."

Hollypaw glanced at Jaypaw. "Some cats are still prickly even with a full belly!"

"Hush." Squirrelflight nudged her with her nose. "Go and eat."

"I was only telling the truth!" Hollypaw started forward, but Jaypaw barged past her. She let out a yelp, glaring after Jaypaw, who was already halfway to the medicine den. "He nipped me!"

Lionpaw's whiskers twitched. "You can fight off three ShadowClan warriors single-pawed," he teased. "But one nip from your brother and you squeal like a kit."

Her soft tail flicked his nose. "You'd have squealed, too!"

"I haven't squealed since I left the nursery!"

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes mischievously. "How about I nip you and see how brave you really are?"

"While he hasn't squealed since he left the nursery," Cinderpaw mewed, her blue eyes twinkled with mischief. " He does look just like a hedgehog."

"I do not look like a hedgehog!" Lionpaw sniffed mock-indignantly, lifting his chin.

Cinderpaw's fluffy tail flicked his nose before she curled it around her paws, "you have enough twigs to be one."

"You cheeky apprentice!" Lionpaw mewed, his mew full of laughter, "take that back!"

"You'll have to catch me first, come on Hollypaw!" Cinderpaw shot off towards the main clearing of camp, Lionpaw on her tail, Hollypaw chasing after them both.

"Here!" She skidded to a halt beside the fresh-kill pile and tossed a mouse at Lionpaw as he caught up, "catch this instead!"

"No way!" Lionpaw purred and lunged, landing directly on top of the older apprentice, bowling her over onto her back and pinning her to the ground, "take that back!"

Cinderpaw's blue eyes gleamed, "no way furball! You look like a hedgehog!"

"I'm not a hedgehog!"

"You're a handsome hedgehog," Cinderpaw relented as she licked his cheek, "but still a hedgehog."

Lionpaw's ears perked in surprise at the comment and he realized with a jolt how close he was to the other apprentice and the fur around his neck lifted slightly, _what...?_

Cinderpaw's tail swished a little uneasily across the ground and she avoided looking at him.

"Hey! Lionpaw let's go!" Hollypaw mewed, tossing the abandoned mouse at her brother and hitting him in the back of the head.

Lionpaw scrambled off of the other apprentice and gave his chest fur a few licks, his fur burning with embarrassment. He then picked up the mouse and dropped it at Cinderpaw's paws where the silver tabby was trying to hide her mutual embarrassment.

"here," he mumbled embarrassed about the whole thing, "I'll get something else."

:) :) :)

The full moon floated in a clear blue-black sky. Ahead, the island rose from the lake, its trees lifting brittle branches to the stars.

Lionpaw walked beside Hollypaw, following his Clanmates along the pebbly shore. He glanced at Jaypaw again. His brother was padding beside Leafpool, nose twitching as he scented the unfamiliar ground. Occasionally, Leafpool's flank would graze Jaypaw's, steering him around sharp stones or protruding roots.

Should he warn Jaypaw about the tree-bridge? It was surprisingly slippery; Lionpaw had almost fallen off on his first crossing plus Cinderpaw had told him at their last gathering that she fell in and Cloudtail had to fish her out.

Hollypaw mewed beside him. "It'll be good to see Willowpaw." "Willowpaw?" he echoed distractedly. There was only one apprentice Lionpaw was hoping to see at the Gathering: Heatherpaw, the pretty WindClan apprentice with smoky blue eyes. He let out a small sigh.

"What are you thinking about?" Hollypaw nudged him. "You're moons away."

"Er, Jaypaw," he mewed quickly. "I was wondering if he could make it over the tree-bridge."

"Don't let him hear you say that," Hollypaw warned.

Lionpaw suddenly felt cold water seep over his claws. Firestar had led them onto the marshy shore at the edge of RiverClan's territory. Sandstorm picked her way after him. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight padded beside Millie and Graystripe while Birchfall and Dustpelt followed, talking quietly. Hazelpaw was listening to her mentor while Berrypaw dodged from side to side, sniffing among the clumps of grass as though any moment he might flush out prey.

"This is RiverClan territory," Hollypaw hissed, reminding him that hunting on another Clan's territory was forbidden.

"I know," Berrypaw retorted. "But there's no harm in looking."

"So long as you just _look_."

Graystripe let out a loud purr. "Firestar?" he called. "It sounds like Hollypaw's preparing to challenge you for leadership."

Lionpaw glanced at his sister. Was this the gray warrior's gentle way of telling her not to be so bossy?

"She can challenge all she wants," Firestar purred back. "I don't think I have to worry until she gets a bit bigger."

"Hey!" Hollypaw fluffed out her fur indignantly. "I was just telling him!"

Firestar halted among the snaking roots of the fallen tree that crossed the water between the shore and the island. The scents of WindClan and ShadowClan were fresh on the bark; they must be here already. Lionpaw pricked his ears. Faint mews drifted from the island. Sandstorm jumped up nimbly and wove her way between the stumps and knots until she reached the other side. One by one, the others followed. Lionpaw stood back as Hollypaw leaped after Hazelpaw.

"Aren't you coming, Lionpaw?" she mewed, steadying herself.

"Of course," Lionpaw hissed back at her.

"He's waiting to make sure I don't fall in," Jaypaw mewed from behind him.

"Only because I nearly fell in the first time and Cinderpaw actually fell in," Lionpaw explained quickly. "It's tricky if you don't know where to put your paws."

Jaypaw reached up into the tangle of roots, feeling his way with his forepaws.

"Here," Leafpool meowed, jumping up past him onto the trunk. "It's not too high."

Jaypaw lifted his nose and sniffed, judging how far away his mentor was. Then he pushed up with his hind legs and clawed his way onto the trunk beside her. Instantly, his forepaws slid from under him.

Lionpaw's heart lurched as Jaypaw shot sideways. Leafpool darted toward him but Jaypaw had already dug his claws into the rotting bark and steadied himself, his tail lashing as he fought to regain his balance. Beneath him the dark water lapped at the shore. Lionpaw fought the urge to jump up and help as Jaypaw began to pad past his mentor and along the trunk. Leafpool crouched, tense and silent, ready to spring if Jaypaw slipped again. One slow paw step at a time, the blind apprentice felt his way along the bridge.

"Jump this way, Jaypaw!" Hollypaw called from the shore on the far side. "The sand's a bit soft, but it's clear."

Jaypaw leaped down, landing a little clumsily, but straightened up at once. Lionpaw felt a wave of relief.

"Hurry up, Lionpaw!"

Berrypaw was trying to push past him. Lionpaw leaped onto the trunk to block his way, but the tree trembled as Berrypaw leaped straight up after him.

"Come on!" Berrypaw urged.

Lionpaw felt his denmate's breath on his heels, hurrying him forward. Clutching tightly with his claws, he scrambled along the tree.

"There's no need to rush." Brackenfur's warning mew sounded a tail-length behind them. But Berrypaw kept pressing up behind Lionpaw.

"Stop hanging arou—"

The apprentice's mew suddenly turned to a yelp. Lionpaw glanced back to see him sliding off the trunk, his cream pelt plummeting toward the black water.

Brackenfur lunged forward and grasped Berrypaw by the scruff. Berrypaw jerked and dangled, his paws churning the air, the tip of his thick, cream tail rippling the surface of the lake.

"Hold still," Brackenfur grunted through clenched teeth. Muscles straining beneath his pelt, the golden warrior heaved Berrypaw up onto the trunk. "I told you not to rush!"

Lionpaw blinked. _Thank StarClan it wasn't me!_ He turned and padded the rest of the way, glad that Berrypaw wasn't still trying to shove past him. The fresh scent of RiverClan drifted from the shore; their patrol must have been heading down to the lake. Lionpaw scanned the edge of the water but saw no sign of them.

"Is everyone ready?" Firestar called as he, Berrypaw, Brackenfur, and finally Ashfur jumped down onto the beach.

The cats nodded. Firestar signaled with his tail, and the party began to head into the trees.

Lionpaw watched Hollypaw's black pelt disappear into the bracken. His paws tingled with excitement as he prepared to spring after her. But Jaypaw wasn't moving. He was just staring into the trees. _Is he nervous?_

"It's only bracken," Lionpaw reassured him. "Just push through. The clearing's not far." He rested his tail on Jaypaw's flank and felt his brother's muscles, strong and lean, beneath his pelt.

"Come on, you two!" Hollypaw came crashing back through the bracken. "Why are you dawdling?"

"Just planning our entrance." Jaypaw flicked his tail and padded forward. The brittle fronds of bracken scratched Lionpaw's nose as he followed his littermates toward the clearing, but he could feel soft baby fern leaves curled under his paws. _New leaves for newleaf._

"ShadowClan and WindClan are waiting in the clearing," Hollypaw called over her shoulder. "But RiverClan haven't arrived yet."

"They're on their way," Lionpaw mewed. "I smelled them from the tree-bridge."

Jaypaw lifted his nose. "You're right." His whiskers twitched. "But there's something odd . . ."

Lionpaw opened his mouth and tasted the fresh scent of RiverClan again. It seemed the same as usual to him. "Probably just been eating too much fish," he guessed.

"Let's make sure we beat them." Hollypaw urged them through the bracken and out onto the edge of the clearing.

As they emerged into the open, Jaypaw stiffened. "Are there always so many cats?" he whispered.

Lionpaw gazed at the warriors, apprentices, and medicine cat who crowded the clearing. It looked like an ordinary Gathering to him. _Was Heatherpaw here?_

"Hey! Kittypet!"

Whitetail, a WindClan she-cat, was rushing toward Millie. Whitetail's apprentice, Breezepaw, hurried after her, ears flattened. Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, ready to defend his Clanmate.

"Hi, Millie!" Whitetail rubbed muzzles with Millie and twined her tail with hers as if they were old friends.

Lionpaw let his claws slide back in.

"Do they know each other?" Hollypaw gasped.

Lionpaw shrugged.

Breezepaw stared wide-eyed as his mentor stepped away from Millie and blinked warmly at her. "Thanks for the rabbit you gave us at the contest," she purred. "You share like a Clan cat."

Millie dipped her head. "It was a day for sharing," she meowed.

"It looks like the contest did some good after all," Hollypaw whispered to Lionpaw.

But another WindClan warrior, Tornear, was staring at Millie through narrowed eyes. He clearly didn't like the sight of his denmate talking with a kittypet. Russetfur was watching, too, pelt bristling as she leaned forward to whisper something into a Clanmate's ear.

Breezepaw didn't say anything, just padded away from his mentor and pushed his way through the busy clearing. Berrypaw and Hazelpaw were chatting with a crowd of ShadowClan and WindClan apprentices. As Breezepaw joined them, Lionpaw's pelt bristled with expectation. Was Heatherpaw's pale tabby fur anywhere among the jumble of pelts?

He couldn't see her.

"What are you so disappointed about?" Jaypaw asked.

Lionpaw stared at him. "D-disappointed?" Jaypaw always had an uncanny way of guessing what he was feeling. "I'm not disappointed!"

"A mouse on the moor could have heard your tail hit the ground," Jaypaw mewed.

"Er… I'm disappointed that Cinderpaw couldn't come," Lionpaw lied, his ears uneasily.

"Your tail would've hit the ground much earlier if that was the case mouse-brain." Jaypaw pointed out his brother's lie with a flick of his striped tail.

"Okay fine," Lionpaw grumbled, "I was hoping to see someone, happy now?"

Hollypaw flicked her ears anxiously. "Heatherpaw?"

"Well, you want to see Willowpaw!" he retorted, his fur bristling at her accusing tone.

"It's not the same."

"Yes, it is!" Lionpaw protested. "We're just friends." _And I still don't know what's going on with Cinderpaw._ As he spoke, he smelled a warmly familiar scent. Heatherpaw was racing across the clearing toward him.

"Lionpaw! You're here!" He felt his heart skip, then glanced nervously at Jaypaw. Was he listening to his heartbeat, too? As though burying prey ready to taste later, Lionpaw pushed his excitement away. "Hello, Heatherpaw," he mewed coolly.

"You don't sound very pleased to see me." The WindClan cat's ears twitched. "I've been on my best behavior all moon so that Crowfeather couldn't possibly leave me behind."

Lionpaw felt a flash of guilt about his lack of enthusiasm. Then anger pricked his paws. Why should he feel guilty? She was _just a friend._ "I'm glad you made it," he mewed.

Hollypaw stepped in front of him and lightly brushed muzzles with Heatherpaw. "StarClan have given us fine weather again," she mewed politely.

"You brought your brother!" Heatherpaw's eyes shone as she noticed Jaypaw. Jealousy ran like cold water along Lionpaw's spine. He wished she hadn't been around to watch Jaypaw and Cinderpaw rescue him from the collapsed badger set.

He was almost grateful when Jaypaw snapped at her hotly, "Nobody brought me! I came with my Clan!"

"Of course," Heatherpaw mewed at once. "I'm sorry. I know you can travel by yourself. It's just—"

"Jaypaw!" Leafpool's call rescued Heatherpaw from her flustered apology. "Come and join us!" She was sitting with Barkface and Mothwing.

Lionpaw watched Jaypaw weave his way over to the other medicine cats. "Take no notice of Jaypaw," he mewed to Heatherpaw. "He's as grumpy as a badger."

"Who's grumpy?"

Lionpaw jerked around to see who had spoken. His heart plummeted when he saw Breezepaw padding toward them.

"You're not going to waste your time chatting to these two, are you?" The black-pelted WindClan apprentice sat down beside Heatherpaw. "Ivypaw and Owlpaw have just challenged Berrypaw to a competition to see who can jump the highest." He licked a forepaw and drew it over his ear.

"Why don't you go and watch it, then?" Heatherpaw replied.

"Why don't you come with me?" A challenging glint sparked in Breezepaw's eye.

Lionpaw heard the ferns rustling and smelled a familiar tang. "RiverClan is here," he mewed.

Hollypaw stretched up on tiptoe beside him to watch RiverClan file into the clearing.

Something seemed wrong. Their tails were down and their ears were flat back. Jaypaw's words buzzed in Lionpaw's ears. _There's something odd. . . ._

Hollypaw narrowed her eyes. "Leopardstar doesn't look very happy."

The golden tabby she-cat was touching muzzles with Firestar, but her tail flicked impatiently, her gaze flitting around the clearing.

"Hollypaw!" Willowpaw broke away from her Clanmates and hurried to greet Hollypaw. "I can't stay." The RiverClan medicine cat apprentice was out of breath. "I have to join Mothwing. But I just wanted to say hello."

"Is everything okay?" Hollypaw asked. "With your Clan, I mean. It's just that you all seem a bit—"

At that moment, Crowfeather padded over to join them. Lionpaw's whiskers twitched with frustration. Would he never get a moment alone with Heatherpaw?

"Heatherpaw," the WindClan warrior greeted his apprentice briskly. "Why don't you go and talk to some of the apprentices from the other Clans? This is a good chance to get to know different cats." His gaze flickered over Lionpaw and Hollypaw.

"Come on," Breezepaw urged. "Let's see if Ivypaw out jumped Berrypaw."

Heatherpaw glanced at Lionpaw, then shrugged. "Okay, then."

Lionpaw's tail stirred the needle-strewn earth behind him as he watched Crowfeather and Breezepaw guide her away.

"Let all the Clans gather beneath StarClan!"

Blackstar's loud meow sounded from the Great Oak. The four leaders were lined along the lowest branch, silhouettes in the moonlight, their eyes shining in the dark. Lionpaw hurried after Hollypaw as she pushed her way in among her Clanmates and sat down beside Brackenfur. Lionpaw squeezed in front of her and sat beside Ashfur.

"Hey!" Hollypaw hissed. "Keep your head down. I want to see."

Lionpaw ducked, suddenly realizing that he was larger than his sister now, outpacing her in size if nothing else as they grew with the passing moons.

"ShadowClan brings happy news," Blackstar announced. "We have three new kits born to Tawnypelt."

Meows of congratulations rose from the crowd, the loudest from Squirrelflight. "Well done, Tawnypelt!"

Blackstar went on. "They are named Flamekit, Dawnkit, and Tigerkit!" The meows died in the throats of the older warriors at the name Tigerkit. Lionpaw blinked. How could Tigerstar still frighten them when he was nothing but a memory from long ago and far away? They were as superstitious as owls!

"If they're Tawnypelt's kits," he whispered over his shoulder to Hollypaw, "they'll be our kin!" It felt odd to have kin in another Clan. For the first time he tried to imagine how his father must feel about Tawnypelt. She was Brambleclaw's sister, yet she had found her destiny with another Clan. Had he ever had to face her in a fight?

"Anything else to report?" Firestar's voice jolted Lionpaw from his daydreaming.

"Did I miss anything?" Lionpaw glanced back at his sister. She shook her head, but her eyes were shaded with worry.

Blackstar had tucked his tail over his paws and was looking satisfied. Onestar turned his head from the ThunderClan leader, signaling he had nothing to say. Firestar nodded. "All has been well with ThunderClan, too." He turned to the RiverClan leader. "Leopardstar? You've shared no news."

"There's no news to share," she meowed curtly. "The fish are returning to the edge of the lake. Hunting is good. My Clan is well." "I'm pleased to hear it," Firestar replied. "Then the Gathering is over," Leopardstar declared.

The Clans began to pad away from the Great Oak as their leaders bounded down from the low branch. Lionpaw stretched, feeling cold from sitting still.

Hazelpaw nudged his shoulder with her muzzle. "Three new ShadowClan cats!" she mewed. "We're going to have to train harder than ever!" She began to follow her Clanmates across the clearing.

Lionpaw hurried after her. "But they're only kits."

"Kits become warriors!" Hazelpaw reminded him.

Lionpaw felt Hollypaw pressing beside him. Her pelt was bristling. "Do you think we'll ever have to fight them?" she whispered anxiously.

"Let's not talk about fighting now." Squirrelflight had joined them and overheard. "Three kits are a blessing to any Clan." She was clearly pleased at Tawnypelt's news.

Leafpool caught up, Jaypaw at her side. "I noticed Tawnypelt was expecting last time I saw her."

Squirrelflight looked surprised. "You never mentioned it."

"It was not for me to say when it still lay in the paws of StarClan," Leafpool answered.

"Besides, it was none of your business!" A gruff mew startled the cats.

Lionpaw turned to see Rowanclaw, a ginger ShadowClan warrior, staring at them with narrowed eyes. _He must be the father._

Squirrelflight returned his gaze. "Congratulations, Rowanclaw. You are blessed to have three healthy kits."

Rowanclaw curled his lip. "Three healthy Clanborn kits," he growled.

"That is only a blessing if they remain loyal to the Clan they were born to," Squirrelflight pointed out sharply, letting her temper flare.

Rowanclaw let out a low growl.

Leafpool stepped between the two warriors. "There's no need to argue."

"He was only speaking the truth."

 _Who said that?_ Lionpaw snapped his head around. _Breezepaw!_

The WindClan apprentice was standing beside his father.

Crowfeather was staring at Leafpool, his eyes glittering. "Don't forget, Breezepaw, ThunderClan actually _celebrates_ mixed blood."

Leafpool jerked her head backward as though Crowfeather had raked his claws across her muzzle. She turned quickly and hurried away.

"He's acting like there's something wrong with ThunderClan!" Lionpaw unsheathed his claws, then felt his mother's tail run along his flank.

"Come along, Lionpaw. Don't forget the truce." She pressed against Lionpaw and padded toward the edge of the clearing, steering him away from Crowfeather, Breezepaw, and Rowanclaw.

Lionpaw glared over his shoulder at the three cats, wishing he could ignore the stupid truce and rip a piece of fur from each of them.

"Lionpaw!" Heatherpaw was bounding toward him.

"What?" Lionpaw stopped and faced Heatherpaw. Squirrelflight paused beside him.

Heatherpaw gazed up at her. "Can I speak to Lionpaw, please?"

Squirrelflight's ears twitched, but she nodded. "Don't be long." She padded into the bracken after Leafpool, Hollypaw, and Jaypaw.

"Please don't be angry," Heatherpaw begged. "Crowfeather's always bad-tempered. It's just his way. And Breezepaw thinks he's a warrior already."

"But you heard what they said about mixed blood in ThunderClan! They just can't let it go, can they?"

"Maybe they can't, but can we forget it?" Heatherpaw's eyes were shining. "I've got a plan."

"To get back at them?"

Heatherpaw's eyes widened. "Of course not! They're my Clanmates!" She flicked her tail. "My plan is something else entirely."

Lionpaw tipped his head to one side. "What, then?"

"Instead of waiting till the next Gathering, why don't we meet up before?"

"Before?" Lionpaw echoed in surprise. Wasn't it against the warrior code to meet with cats from another Clan without permission?

"Tomorrow night," she whispered.

"But how? Where?"

"At the boundary in the woods. Near the yew tree. We can slip away while our Clanmates are sleeping."

"But—" Heatherpaw's whiskers twitched. "Come on! It'll be exciting. And it's not like we'd be hurting anyone."

Lionpaw felt guilt and worry tug at his belly, but Heatherpaw's blue eyes were sparkling at him hopefully. It did sound like fun. He could always say he'd been practicing his night hunting. _What about Cinderpaw?_ He wondered, he still didn't know what was going on between him and his silver tabby friend and wondered if this was a bad idea, but he couldn't resist Heatherpaw's hopeful blue eyes. They wouldn't be doing any harm, like stealing prey or spying. No cat would even know if they were careful about it. More guilt tugged at his belly but he made his decision. _I'll still be loyal to my Clan, I won't fall behind in my duties, and Cinderpaw won't know._

He blinked at Heatherpaw. "Okay." He agreed. _But why do I feel so guilty?_


	3. Chapter 2

Cinderpaw's dreams of hunting a mouse through a strange territory -that was oddly familiar- was broken by a flash of pain through her tail. _Ow!_ The silver tabby's blue eyes flashed open and an annoyed glint darkened the sapphire blue of her eyes. She wasn't surprised to see that Lionpaw was the cat who had once again stepped on her tail since he was the one sneaking out to see Heatherpaw every night. Oh yeah, she knew already, one sniff of Lionpaw's coat confirmed her theory a few nights ago.

Lionpaw's body had tensed when he had stepped on her tail again for the fifth night in a row and guilt painted his amber eyes a lighter amber color than usual… Not that Cinderpaw could tell. She didn't study Lionpaw's eyes that often, did she? No, she didn't. Just because she had a tiny crush on him didn't mean she mooned over him like her sister did to Berrypaw. Or at least she hoped she didn't.

Lionpaw's voice broke the she-cat's scattered thoughts, "sorry Cinderpaw," he apologized quickly, as if eager to leave the den.

Cinderpaw gave him a flat look and sat up before she flicked her tail from under one of his paws to be wrapped around her paws. "Where to now? She hissed in a low tone, "the forest? You've stepped on my tail every night for a quarter-moon!"

Lionpaw discreetly winced and glanced around the den, as if nervous about someone else waking up to see them arguing at moon-rise. "Ssh!"

Cinderpaw's blue eyes narrowed further and she smacked his ear with a paw, too focused to worry about giggling about how soft the tom's golden fur was, even if she was giggling like a lovesick she-cat somewhere in her mind. "Don't tell me to quiet down Lionpaw! You've been sneaking off since the last gathering-" she paused as Hollypaw stirred.

Lionpaw quickly took advantage of Cinderpaw's hesitance and grabbed the tabby by the scruff before he pulled her out of the den before Hollypaw woke up. "Ssh!" He repeated his earlier hushing, "you're right, you're right!" he admitted in a low mew, "I've been sneaking off to practice my hunting okay?"

Cinderpaw studied the tom's eyes for half a second for swatting at his nose, "don't think for a heartbeat I believe your lie Lionpaw!" It was out now, there was no closing the floodgate for the scatterbrained silver tabby. "StarClan! You've been sneaking off to meet Heatherpaw since the last gathering!" She hissed, "despite that, you knew it was wrong and despite how much you know how disappointed everyone is going to be in you! Even I'm disappointed in you Lionpaw! And that's really hard to do you mouse-brained tom!"

Lionpaw flinched and opened his mouth to speak before he suddenly flicked his tail over her muzzle as Dustpelt -who was guarding the entrance- partially turned toward the apprentices' den.

"Annoying apprentices chattering at late at night and disturbing everyone's sleep." The senior warrior grunted irritably and fluffed out his fur a small amount against the droplets of rain that began to fall from the dark and cloudy sky.

Cinderpaw huffed, _Great! Now I'm going to be soaked!_

Lionpaw then flicked his tail away from her muzzle and nudged her to her paws. "Come on, let's talk where Dustpelt can't send us back to the den." His voice was weary and tired as if he was tired of carrying the guilt of the secret around.

:(

Lionpaw's paws felt extremely heavy, even heavier than the fat rain drops beginning to fall faster against the forest canopy and undergrowth. He felt guilty for revealing the secret to Cinderpaw, but oddly enough he felt worse about how disappointed in him she seemed to be. _I let her down, I hate disappointing other cats. But somehow I feel even worse that I let Cinderpaw down, why?_ He wondered as he unintentionally led the way through the forest closer to the small field where he met Heatherpaw. _It's worse than trying to resist Heatherpaw's hopeful expression when I agreed to play with her._ He mused as the two ThunderClan apprentices padded through the undergrowth pelts occasionally brushing. _I still don't know what's going on between me and Cinderpaw, I mean, when I'm around her like this -under different circumstances- I can hear my heartbeat in my ears and it's like I have butterflies flying around in my stomach… I'll ask Brambleclaw tomorrow._ He decided firmly. He stopped abruptly and Cinderpaw crashed into his hindquarters. "This is far enough." he mewed quietly and sat back on his haunches while Cinderpaw clambered back to her paws and sat down next to him, her damp fur brushing against his thicker coat.

Cinderpaw's blue eyes shone with disappointment and oddly enough hurt. "It's your story, explain it to me."

The two apprentices sat in the rain till the moon had risen to it's highest point and Lionpaw had finished recounting his story. Now it was silent between the pair of tabbies, one mulling over what the other had said while the other sat waiting for her to say something, anything really.

Finally, after a drawn-out silence where the only sounds where the leaves rustling in the trees and the raindrops splattering foliage, Cinderpaw spoke. "Is Heatherpaw just a friend to you?" She asked and turned her head to be looking at him, sapphire blue eyes locked on his.

Lionpaw kept her gaze, "she's just a friend," he confirmed without hesitance.

"Then what am I?" She mewed softly, blue eyes sincere and gleaming faintly with an emotion that was often on Honeypaw's face. Adoration, the sign of a crush.

Lionpaw didn't dare break their eye contact as he replied in a similar soft tone, but his was laced with slight confusion. "I don't know," he mewed, "but you're more important than Heatherpaw." He mewed, "you're just as important as my littermates."

"So I'm like your littermate?" Cinderpaw asked, her mew wavering slightly.

"No," Lionpaw shook his head, "you're nothing close to being my littermate. You're… different somehow." he briefly paused, "what about me?"

"You're special," Cinderpaw mewed in reply and turned her gaze toward the forest in front of them, her fur warming with embarrassment. "Very special."

Lionpaw looked back out at the forest as well, "I'll stop playing with Heatherpaw if you don't like it."

"I don't."

"Then I'll stop," Lionpaw decided firmly and leaned over and licked her ear in a semi-friendly fashion. "I don't want to make you upset."

Cinderpaw shuffled a little closer so their pelts mingled, "thank you," she mewed softly.

"I'll tell her tomorrow night that I can't play anymore," Lionpaw told Cinderpaw and rasped his tongue over the mud on one of the tabby's shoulders.

"One more night, that's it right?" Cinderpaw asked as neither of the young cats took notice of the rain falling and making them wet.

"That's it," Lionpaw confirmed before he blinked as a water droplet landed on his nose. "Now come on, we're going to be soaked to the bone if we keep this up." He mewed as he got to his paws.

"Okay," Cinderpaw agreed and got to her paws as well. "I don't want to be up forever licking my fur dry."

Lionpaw bumped her wet flank with his nose, amusement shining in his eyes, "I'll help you."

Cinderpaw huffed, "who's gonna clean you up?"

"Nobody," Lionpaw shrugged, "I'm a tom, I don't need special attention."

"You cheeky furball!" Cinderpaw gawked and pushed him a little, "I do not need 'special attention!'"

Lionpaw purred, "I know you don't, but I want to give you some."

"If you say so," Cinderpaw sighed, "do what you'd like Lionpaw, I'm not going to stop you."

:)

Cinderpaw woke up the next morning by Hollypaw's yelp, "Lionpaw!" Cinderpaw's blue eyes cracked open a tiny amount. Which revealed the dawn light that had begun to filter through the branches that the apprentices' den was made from. The light was just enough to give color to the pelts of the other sleeping young cats. _Shoot!_ Cinderpaw thought as she realized why Hollypaw had exclaimed her brother's name, _Lionpaw's still soaked!_ Indeed the tom was, his fur was drenched from when they were out in the rain around moon-high. Though he was currently fast asleep at the moment. Cinderpaw's eyes opened further to watch Hollypaw sniff him suspiciously. The silver tabby silently hoped that the currently sleeping tom had a washed off her scent, it would mean a lot of explaining and covering up for him on her part if he hadn't. Which she didn't want to deal with.

Hollypaw yawned and stretched, her tail shivering with the effort of the stretch. Clearly, the black she-cat was rather cold. Judging by the way the fur on her left flank was squished and wet anyway.

Cinderpaw shivered slightly as she realized her sister Poppypaw wasn't asleep in her nest, meaning cool air was going through Cinderpaw's slightly damp fur. Her fur was slightly damp due to Lionpaw's tongue and the remainder of the rain that clung to her fur. "Hollypaw?" She lifted her head and fully opened her eyes. "Did the rain wake you?" She asked, pretending that she hadn't seen or heard what was going on.

Hollypaw shook her head, "no, Lionpaw did, he's soaking wet."

"He's been out in this?" Cinderpaw asked curiously as she sat up and rasped her tongue over her fur, both hiding her lie and smoothing out her rather ruffled fur.

"It looks like it." Hollypaw mewed, her piercing green eyes fixed on her golden pelted brother.

Cinderpaw could tell that she was thinking, Hollypaw's ears always flattened against her skull when she was thinking about something. Hunger prodded at Cinderpaw's belly, after having been up most of the night she was rather hungry. As her stomach so nicely said when it rumbled. "I wonder if there's any fresh-kill on the pile yet?" she mused while she licked a paw and drew it over one ear.

"Maybe there's some from last night,' Hollypaw suggested as she shook out her dark fur, "let's go and see."

Cinderpaw followed Hollypaw as the black she-cat picked her away along the other sleeping apprentices -which was what was keeping the den warm- the dark clouds layered throughout the dawn sky, made the multicolored sky a neutral gray with flashes of white lightning. Mud quickly soaked through Cinderpaw's legs and paws as the force of the rain caused the mud in the clearing to splash up and drench the young tabby's underbelly and paws. Cinderpaw squinted through the rain, "let's make a dash for it," she suggested to Hollypaw as she squeezed next to her in the small entrance of the apprentices' den.

"Okay," Hollypaw readily agreed and together the two she-cats darted out of the den. A spray of mucky water splattered the mud that a few soaked pieces of prey lay pitifully and plastered to the mud. Stormfur and Brook were seeking shelter beneath the high ledge, crouched together while they shared a robin beneath the rain-free overhang. "This weather's too wet for even RiverClan!" Stormfur called to the pair in greeting.

"Now I know what the fish feel like!" Hollypaw mewed a greeting as she picked up a pathetic looking mouse and carried it to the shelter of brambles that was had grown along one side of the medicine den.

Cinderpaw followed after her friend, choosing a sopping wren as her choice of breakfast. "Yuck! My fur's soaked!" She complained as she dropped the wren onto the ground with a light splash and shook herself. Which caused the extra water on her fur to fly off and hit her friend who had flattened her ears at the spray of water.

"Sorry," Cinderpaw apologized sheepishly before she crouched down and took a bite of her wren. She could hardly taste the bird itself, the mud on it and the murky water clinging to its feathers made a very disgusting mud flavor wash over her tongue. She wrinkled her nose, "the wren tastes like mud!" She mewed with her mouth full.

The brambles of the medicine den's entrance shivered as Leafpool dashed out, a bundle of herbs clutched firmly in her jaws. She dashed across the clearing, sending up small splashes with each paw step, and disappeared into the nursery.

"Yeah, the mouse does too. I hope icekit and Foxkit are alright," Hollypaw mewed throughout a mouthful of her muddied mouse.

Cinderpaw vaguely remembered the sound of Daisy sneezing while she had been arguing with Lionpaw and when they had gotten back to camp. But it was a little hazy, she hadn't really been paying too much attention to her surroundings at that point in time. Before she could get lost in her own thoughts, Cinderpaw quickly replied to Hollypaw's worried comment, "I heard Daisy sneezing last night." She wracked her mind for anything else on the subject that she remembered, but with the whole argument and sharing tongues with the golden-furred tom in the apprentice's den, he had insisted since her fur had been drenched, she couldn't remember anything else on the subject of Daisy's sneezing. "She may have a cold. Maybe Leafpool's bringing her marigold or feverfew." She mewed before blinking in confusion and stopping midway through taking a bite of the wren. Feverfew and marigold? Where did they come from and how did she know to use them? Hollypaw seemed to not notice her confusion, as she had started to look up at the sky through narrowed eyes. "We'll all have colds at this rate if this rain doesn't stop anytime soon. That or we'll all have to get webbed feet."

"And water proof pelts," Cinderpaw added as she pushed the herb confusion out of her mind, "it's been raining every day since the gathering and that was half a moon ago."

Hollypaw twitched her ears in agreement, "yeah, so we're all going to get sick soon if it doesn't go away."

Cinderpaw swallowed her mouthful of muddy wren and gazed around camp.

The rest of the camp was beginning to stir. Thornclaw yawned as he padded around the clearing followed by Dustpelt. Firestar emerged from his cave on Highledge and surveyed the camp. Brambleclaw darted from the warriors' den and bounded up the rockfall to meet him. The two warriors vanished into Firestar's cave, their tails low against the rain that hurled against the cliff. Mousefur peered out from the honeysuckle-draped bush that formed the elders' den, before disappearing back inside with a snort of disgust. Graystripe padded from behind the warriors' den, where he shared a makeshift den with Millie. His thick gray pelt was plastered against his body. He picked two birds from the fresh-kill pile and hurried back to his nest

Brackenfur then emerged from the warriors' den and stretched, reaching out with his forepaws until his chest touched the ground. He then straightened and shook himself, fluffing out his golden fur.

Cinderpaw nudged her friend with her nose, "Brackenfur's here-"

"Hollypaw? Cinderpaw?" Brackenfur was peering at them through narrowed eyes, rain streaming from his whiskers. "Is that you two?"

Cinderpaw ducked from the shelter of the brambles with Hollypaw on her tail, her pawsteps causing ripples in the muddy water covered ground. "Yeah, we were just eating Brackenfur."

"Well if you have a full belly Hollypaw, you can come hunting with me if you'd like." Brackenfur told his apprentice before he addressed his daughter, "you can too Cinderpaw if Cloudtail doesn't have anything for you to do."

Cinderpaw opened her mouth to say he didn't before she abruptly remembered that her mentor had asked her to clean out the elders' bedding in the morning last night. So she shook her head. "Cloudtail asked me to clean out the elders' bedding in the morning."

"I'll try to bring you a warm mouse," Hollypaw promised with an energetic gleam in her green eyes.

"One without mud please," Cinderpaw purred in response before nudging her friend in the shoulder, "Brackenfur's leaving, I'd get a move on Hollypaw."

Hollypaw flicked her tail in goodbye before she hared after her mentor for the camp entrance.

Cinderpaw watched them go before she sighed softly, finished up her wren, and went to do the elder's den.

:) :) :)

Cinderpaw trudged into the apprentice's den, her grey pelt now soaked thoroughly with her paws muddy, mossy, and overall dirty. _That took half of forever_. She mewed to herself as she sat down in her nest and rasped her tongue over one forepaw, cleaning the dirt, mud, and moss from her small paws. Her blue gaze strayed to Lionpaw's gently rising and falling pelt as she mindlessly washed her paw, a task that didn't require the usage of her mind… well, most of it anyway. _What am I going to do about him?_ She wondered quietly, _That tom has been breaking the warrior code for half a moon._ Her heart gave a harsh sting, _He's been meeting Heatherpaw since the gathering. Heatherpaw of all cats. I knew she would be trouble from the moment I saw them interact at the gathering, Lionpaw was practically stumbling over his words and acting worse than Honeypaw around Berrypaw. Totally enraptured by her._

Slight jealousy caused the tabby to put her now clean forepaw down and lightly flex her claws, digging her claws into the moss of her nest. _It's not fair! I've been around him for a long time and nothing, but when Heatherpaw enters the picture it's like she's blessed by StarClan or something!_ A tiny growl escaped the tabby's jaws. _So not fair!_ She knew she was acting like a kit, but at the moment she didn't care. But then her gaze strayed back to him and from the den wall and her heart melted. _But he did decide to stop meeting her because it makes me unhappy._ She pointed out to herself, _and he said I'm as important to him as his littermates are. Which I'm going to hope that he's not meaning like a littermate. Still…_

Hollypaw's unannounced arrival startled her from her thoughts. "Doesn't Ashfur have any jobs for you, Lionpaw?" The black she-cat called to her littermate irritably.

"What?" Lionpaw's golden furred head shot up and he stared at her, blinking the drowsiness from his amber eyes. "Is it dawn already?"

Cinderpaw stifled a purr of amusement, _Oh dear, poor Lionpaw._

But it seemed that Hollypaw wasn't in as good of a mood as Cinderpaw was. "It's halfway to sunhigh!" She mewed a little harshly.

Lionpaw leaped to his paws and nearly tripped over them when he noticed Cinderpaw sitting in her next now casually washing her other forepaw. 'H-has Ashfur been looking for me?" He mewed once he had regained his balance and dignity.

"I don't know," Hollypaw answered a little hotly, " _I've_ been out _hunting_." She mewed pointedly and began tugging at the bedding which was probably soaked from Lionpaw's coat. "Why're you so tired anyway?"

Lionpaw avoided Hollypaw's eyes, and Cinderpaw turned her body as to pretend she hadn't heard the littermates' conversation. "I didn't sleep well," Lionpaw muttered and avoided looking at Cinderpaw as well.

Hollypaw turned her green gaze to him, but he was staring at the floor, avoiding both her gaze and looking at Cinderpaw. "Is something wrong, Lionpaw?"

"No," he mewed quickly, still avoiding her gaze.

Cinderpaw could see the faint lifting of the fur around his neck, meaning he was feeling like Hollypaw was verbally attacking him.

"Are you sure?"

Lionpaw opened his mouth to retort but Cinderpaw quickly stepped in. "Hollypaw," she mewed quickly as she padded over to the pair. "He just woke up, ask him later when he's eaten and gotten himself back to normal," she encouraged the black she-cat, "asking him a bunch of questions is just going to make things worse." She knew about Hollypaw and Lionpaw's strained relationship, with the whole Heatherpaw secret Lionpaw was bearing, he wasn't sharing anything with his siblings, and because of that, getting details from him was like trying to pick fleas off a hedgehog. Unless they jumped out by themselves, there was no way anyone could reach them. They just happened to jump out more often to Cinderpaw than anyone else.

Hollypaw looked taken aback and she let the moss she was working on drop to the ground in surprise as her friend taking Lionpaw's side. She sighed, her green eyes taking a defeated look as she left to den. Cinderpaw guessed she was going to her other brother and ask him about Lionpaw's odd attitude.

Lionpaw sighed, his fur flattening as he relaxed slightly. "Thanks," he mewed gratefully to the other tabby, "I hate it when she does that."

Cinderpaw twitched her ears and cautiously rasped her tongue over some fur that was sticking up on his shoulder. "She's struggling to understand what you're up to," she mewed quietly as she drew back, "and she's worried about how RiverClan was acting so strangely at the Gathering and about Willowpaw." Curiosity and worry was nagging at her belly even throughout the conversation, did Lionpaw remember what happened last night?

"She's Hollypaw," Lionpaw mewed a little gruffly and returned the lick by rasping his tongue over the muddied fur on Cinderpaw's shoulder. "She's always been obsessed with the warrior code and taking care of her loved ones."

Cinderpaw purred lightly with amusement, "She's been getting better, but I do agree with you, she's very protective about the cats she cares about."

Lionpaw's jaws opened in a wide yawn, and Cinderpaw asked him a question in a slightly hushed tone. "Do you remember last night?"

Lionpaw nodded and opened his jaws to speak, but a very wet looking Berrypaw, who's nose had wrinkled at the words he had just heard. "Last night?... what in StarClan are you two up to out late at night?" He mewed with slight disgust in his mew.

Cinderpaw's fur warmed with embarrassment at the older apprentice's strange assumption and she hastened to correct the tom, "I caught him sneaking out of the den to practice his hunting," she mewed quickly. Lionpaw hastily nodded to back up her words.

Berrypaw rolled his jade green eyes, "you need it Lionpaw, good job spotting your obvious lack of skills."

Lionpaw bared his teeth, but Cinderpaw flicked her tail tip over his hindquarters with enough strength to give him a warning to not rise to the bait.

Berrypaw gave them a funny look before he turned tail and left the den, muttering something about weird younger apprentices.

Cinderpaw then avoided Lionpaw's gaze, instead she rasped her tongue over her silver chest fur a few times to hide her embarrassment. For a moment it was silent, both apprentices working on hiding their mutual embarrassment as Berrypaw's assumption.

Lionpaw broke the silence, "yeah I remember," he mewed, finally facing her. "I promise tonight is the last night I meet Heatherpaw." He mewed and his amber eyes seemed to briefly flash with affection as he next spoke. "And I meant what I said too."

Cinderpaw nodded and smoothened out a clump of fur that was sticking up with her tongue, feeling a little warm and fuzzy at his words. She felt his tongue rasp along the fur between her ears that had a tendency to stick up and a very light purr, to the point she herself could hardly hear it, rumbled through the female apprentice's body.

Cloudtail's mew caused the two to jerk apart with a jolt. "Cinderpaw? You in here?"

Cinderpaw sprang away from Lionpaw like he had clawed her and sat in her nest, her blue eyes a little wide, fur a little ruffled, and tail bushed out like a gorse. She quickly hid her tail behind her as her mentor poked his white fluffy head into the den. "Yeah Cloudtail," she mewed brightly, "I was just washing some of the mud off from the heavy rain earlier."

Cloudtail eyed the small amounts of mud on her underbelly, shoulders, and flanks, but seemed to choose not to comment on it. "Well you can give yourself a thorough wash after we go out into the territory. I figured we would spend the rest of the day exploring the territory and hunt while we're out there."

Cinderpaw jumped to her paws, exploring sounded like fun! "Cool!"

"Meet me by the entrance in a few moments, don't lag behind." Cloudtail then vanished from the den.

Cinderpaw's blue eyes shone with excitement as she impulsively, and without much thought, brushed muzzles with Lionpaw and shot out of the den to where her mentor was now waiting with Birchfall and an approaching Hollypaw and Brackenfur. The sky had begun to have patches of blue throughout the gray afternoon sky.

"Firestar wants everyone to check out the old fox den," Birchfall told the two warriors, "to make sure the fox cubs haven't returned."

Cinderpaw's fur bristled. She remembered the awful day when Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Jaypaw had set out to chase the fox cubs from the den and had been chased themselves. In his terror, Jaypaw had nearly died falling over the side of the hollow, and Lionpaw had led one of the cubs to her, scaring the life out of her. She could see Hollypaw's shiver at the mention and whispered, "Don't worry Hollypaw, I'll watch your tail." She mewed softly.

Hollypaw brushed gratefully against her as they padded out of the camp after the three warriors. "I'll watch yours too."

As they neared the small glade that sloped down to the den, Cinderpaw sniffed the humid air and her fur bristled. Fox! She narrowed her blue eyes slightly and her nose twitched, "young, female, but it's stale."

Hollypaw gave her an incredulous look, "how are you sure?"

 _Oh right, Hollypaw doesn't know that Lionpaw drove the third fox cub to me._ Although Cinderpaw herself was surprised that she could identify the age range and gender of the animal. "I've met a fox once." She mewed with a light shrug.

"She's right about it being stale," Cloudtail meowed, his eyes on his apprentice, "there hasn't been a fox here since leaf-fall."

Cinderpaw mentally sighed, sometimes she knew things without knowing why she knew them or how she knew them, it just happened. Although it was more often with herbs and scents than anything else.

Clearly, her mentor was wondering if she had just forgotten it previously, "have you been here with another patrol?" Cloudtail asked curiously.

Cinderpaw shook her head, "no, I met a fox when Lionpaw led the third cub toward me back when they were kits, but otherwise I've never met another fox."

Cloudtail and Brackenfur exchanged glances, clearly as puzzled as Hollypaw was looking.

Cinderpaw started to pad deeper into the forest, unnerved by the other cats' actions. Only then did she realize what exactly she had done when she had left the apprentices den, and her fur warmed with embarrassment. _Oh, StarClan…_

:) :) :)

Cinderpaw was dreaming. "Come on Cinderpaw!"

Cinderpaw purred as she chased after the golden tom in front of her who was weaving between the trees, his tail a couple mouse lengths from her nose. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" She purred and pushed herself just a little faster, slowly catching up to Lionpaw who was running in front of her.

"Slow slug!" He teased as he moved just a little faster, causing her to have to go faster to catch up to him.

"Gotcha!" Cinderpaw mewed in triumph as she pounced on the tom, her blue eyes twinkling.

Lionpaw purred, the vibrations rumbling through his broad-shouldered body. "You finally managed to catch me."

"Well my legs are shorter than yours," Cinderpaw shot back, "so excuse my inability to easily over take you."

"I don't think you were trying that hard," Lionpaw's whiskers twitched in laughter, "you're much faster than me and every cat knows that."

Cinderpaw flicked her tail, "eh, so I wasn't trying that hard to catch up." She licked the tom's cheek, blue eyes highly amused.

"Lionpaw?" Cinderpaw jolted awake at the sound of Hollypaw's low hiss. She blinked open her blue eyes and lifted her head, stretching slightly and flicking her tail away from the edge of the mentioned tom's nest. Something she seemed to have accidentally done while she had been asleep. Cinderpaw rested her head on the wall of her nest, her blue eyes now half closed.

"Are you looking for Lionpaw?" Poppypaw yawned from Cinderpaw's other side, "He left the den a while ago."

Ice seized Cinderpaw's heart. If Poppypaw had noticed Lionpaw's appearance and Lionpaw wasn't here, then that meant that Hollypaw and Lionpaw were going to have a confrontation. Tonight.

"N-No," Holly mewed slightly nervously as if she didn't want to arouse the suspicions of the other apprentices.

"Has Lionpaw gone to make dirt _again?_ " Cinderpaw mewed exasperatedly, "It must have been that stale thrush he ate earlier." The comment itself was ironic seeing how Cinderpaw had caught it herself and its blood had still been warm when he had eaten it and shared some of it with her.

"I'll go and check if he's okay," Hollypaw mewed and crept from the den.

Cinderpaw got to her paws, "I'm gonna go with her."

Poppyfrost just put her head down and closed her eyes, apparently satisfied with Cinderpaw's earlier excuse.

Cinderpaw's heart was beating hard in her chest, why couldn't Hollypaw have slept through the whole night? Then the whole thing would've been over with a peaceful ending. Cinderpaw followed Hollypaw who was keeping to the shadows and the edges of camp. "It's just me," she mewed when Hollypaw froze, probably thinking someone had followed her. "I thought you may want company." _and I want to be there to help cool Lionpaw's temper when you find him._

"Thanks," Hollypaw mewed gratefully.

One after the other, the pair squeezed through the small tunnel to the dirtplace.

"He's not here," Cinderpaw whispered, struggling to keep any traces of apprehension from her mew.

Hollypaw sighed heavily. "No."

Cinderpaw didn't say anything for a few moments, trying to think of what to say without giving away the fact that she knew where he was. "His trail leads this way," she eventually announced, using her nose to point up the lakeward slope. When Hollypaw gazed toward the ridge Cinderpaw knew that she had guessed he was meeting Heatherpaw. "We're going to follow him right?" She mewed quietly, giving up on keeping her tone level.

Hollypaw nodded, "yeah, he could be in WindClan territory for all we know."

"I don't think so," Cinderpaw mewed, "Lionpaw's not that stupid."

Hollypaw nodded and began charging up the slope, sniffing the twigs and brambles for Lionpaw's scent, following the path he had taken to the top of the ridge.

Cinderpaw reluctantly followed her, dragging her paws slightly and twitching her ears nervously.

There was no sign of movement in the shadowy heather. Hollypaw plunged down the slope, following an old rabbit track through the coarsening grass. Underpaw the ground grew peatier as they neared the WindClan border. Heather bushes sprouted on either side of the track as the slope flattened and the sound of water lapping the shore grew louder.

"Did you hear that?" Hollypaw's hiss startled Cinderpaw as the tabby had begun to space out slightly.

Cinderpaw pricked her ears. A small hollow, ringed by heather, lay

in shadow ahead of them. From it came the sound of voices. Not very happy voices.

"I'm sorry Heatherpaw, but I can't meet you anymore."

"Why? What happened?"

"I can't be loyal to my clan and meet you every night."

Cinderpaw slid next to Hollypaw and peered down into the grassy dip, looking at the golden tom who was sitting with his tail wrapped around his paws, and the light brown tabby who was sitting as well, but her tail as lashing with agitation. "You don't seem surprised to see Heatherpaw," she mewed softly.

"Neither are you." Hollypaw mewed in response and Cinderpaw flinched. "How come you didn't tell me about this?" She asked and looked over at her gray tabby friend.

"It's not my secret to give," Cinderpaw responded quietly, looking down at her paws. "I already talked to Lionpaw about it, that's why he and Heatherpaw are arguing. He's not meeting her anymore."

Hollypaw sighed and looked back into the dip.

Cinderpaw shuffled her paws, now feeling incredibly guilty.

For a few moments, the two she-cats listened to them argue, Cinderpaw too guilty to say anything and Hollypaw probably thinking something over.

Hollypaw broke the silence, "Thank you for convincing him to stop meeting her." She eventually mewed, "and I understand why you didn't tell me, this was Lionpaw's secret, it's up to him to reveal it, not you."

"Your welcome," Cinderpaw mewed feeling relieved that Hollypaw wasn't mad at her. But then Hollypaw wriggled out from the heather.

"Lionpaw!"

"Hollypaw!" Cinderpaw hissed and darted out after her, "what are you doing?!"

Lionpaw and Heatherpaw froze, looking between each other and the two ThunderClan she-cats.

"What are you doing here?" Hollypaw demanded.

Lionpaw looked up at his sister, his amber eyes sparking with defiance. "What _are_ you doing here?" He growled, getting to his paws.

"I was looking for you!"

" _Spying_ on me!"

Hollypaw flinched. "You shouldn't be here, playing with her!" She glared at Heatherpaw like it was her fault.

Cinderpaw quickly made her way down the slope, her blue eyes now worried. "You should leave," she mewed politely to Heatherpaw, "We won't tell Onestar what has happened here."

Heatherpaw sighed before a spark of realization lit her pale blue eyes. "You're Cinderpaw aren't you?" She mewed in a slightly defeated tone.

Cinderpaw nodded, her blue eyes kind, "yeah, I'm Cinderpaw."

"He's not meeting me anymore because of you isn't he?"

Cinderpaw shook her head, "no, I didn't force him to do anything, he chose to stop meeting you."

Anger flashed in Heatherpaw's eyes before Lionpaw and Hollypaw's growing argument interrupted them.

" _You're_ friends with Willowpaw!"

"I don't sneak off every night to see her!"

"I'm not meeting her anymore Hollypaw!"

Cinderpaw gave Heatherpaw a firm nudge on the shoulder, "get going."

Heatherpaw narrowed her eyes. She licked Lionpaw's cheek, made eye contact with Cinderpaw, who narrowed her own blue eyes and hared off to WindClan territory.

 _Hmph,_ Cinderpaw huffed crossly, _she likes him too._ But Lionpaw and Hollypaw's raised voices snapped her out of her annoyance as she approached Lionpaw and stood between the littermates. "Guys!" She shouted above both of them. "Let's go back to camp-"

"If you continue meeting Heatherpaw, I will have to tell Brambleclaw! There's a reason why the warrior code forbids mixing with cats from other Clans! How can you be loyal to your own Clan where your heart lies in another!" Hollypaw cut her friend off.

Lionpaw bristled, "are you accusing me of disloyalty?!" Lionpaw flattened his ears and bared his teeth.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Cinderpaw yowled and the two littermates fell silent, her blue eyes flashed dangerously, reminding the two younger apprentices that she was older and more experienced than they were. And that she had a temper too. Cinderpaw took a deep calming breath before she continued. "Lionpaw you are not disloyal, you chose to stop meeting Heatherpaw on your own free will. Hollypaw, you've said your piece and Lionpaw understands that he needs to stop meeting with Heatherpaw. As he's clearly stated Heatherpaw is just a friend to him, so the heart comment wasn't necessary."

"Yeah," Lionpaw growled, "my heart lies here in ThunderClan." He growled, "I'm not disloyal."

"I know you're not disloyal," Hollypaw mewed, her mew now rather calm. "But if you stop meeting Heatherpaw-"

"I'm not meeting her after tonight!"

"-It won't be so difficult to remain loyal, that's why you have to stop."

Lionpaw growled, "I'm completely loyal Hollypaw! My heart is here in ThunderClan!"

Hollypaw looked a little unsure, not that Cinderpaw could blame her.

Lionpaw growled, his tail twitched, and he seemed to be thinking hard on how to prove to his sister that his heart was in their home Clan and not Heatherpaw's.

Then abruptly, with residual force from his anger that made Cinderpaw's eyes slightly water from a brief burst of pain, Lionpaw touched his nose to Cinderpaw's and held the contact. His amber eyes were warm and still slightly angry from his loyalty issue with Hollypaw.

Cinderpaw's blue eyes widened like dinner plates and she stared at him, the warm skin of his pink nose pressed against her own black nose was making her paws tingle and the soft puffs of air the brushed against her nose was also making the she-cat feel a little giddy and dazed. Basically, the apprentice was practically over the moon.

Hollypaw's eyes widened as well, her green eyes wide as she stared at her brother touching noses with a she-cat who just happened to be her best friend.

Lionpaw moved back a moment later and turned his amber gaze to Hollypaw, "I'm loyal to ThunderClan," he mewed firmly.

Cinderpaw on the other paw sat down with a bump, feeling like her legs were gonna buckle beneath her and send her to the cold dew-wet grass.

Holly nodded, her green eyes still a little wide at the turn of events. "I believe you."

Cinderpaw made an unintelligible noise, her blue eyes still focused on Lionpaw. Although she had adopted a look that her sister Honeypaw seemed to frequently have on her face. A lovesick and somewhat sappy look on her face.

Lionpaw glanced at Cinderpaw, "er, Cinderpaw?" he mewed, a little confused by the look she was giving him. He flicked his tail uneasily when she didn't respond for a few moments. "Cinderpaw?"

Cinderpaw jolted before she shook her head and flattened her ears, "oops, sorry." She mewed, and got to her paws once again, although this time her legs were just a tad shaky. "Let's go back to camp."

Lionpaw and Hollypaw both nodded, and Hollypaw led the way back to camp with Lionpaw beside her while Cinderpaw padded behind them both a little unsteadily. Her legs hadn't quite recovered from Lionpaw's action, and quite frankly neither had the she-cat's mind. She was still in shock from what had happened. _I had not expected that._ She mewed silently to herself, _not at all._


End file.
